Hi,
As many of you know this blogger has 17 books behind her, and as you may not know, she is starting a new novel.
A friend mentioned a software program that will be the business item of the future for all large companies. It is called Dragon Naturally Speaking and it allows the computer to type as one speaks into a headset. This blogger had a speaking program years ago that wasn't worth the time put into it but this Dragon program is 1000% better.
Not to sound like a commercial,(no, this blogger doesn't have any stock or involvement) it is simply that many of our older citizens are not computer literate (a computer term--not mine) because they never learned to type. It was not a requirement in the decades prior to technology. It was a skill thought only needed by office workers. Technology made typing skills mandatory and although a few folks, who want to be part of the modern movement, are willing to use the one finger hunt and peck option, many just quit in disgust.
Economically, I think that is a shame. There is so much available on the net and so much happening that isn't able to be reported in the news and on TV in any great detail. So this skill is becoming more and more important in staying up with the times. And let's face it, not staying up with the times can become very costly. I'm now using the Dragon to dictate this blog. As you can see it types very well and allows a standing position and freedom of movement instead of sitting, cramped up in front of the computer. I can walk around for about 6 feet since the cord to the headset is quite long. Wireless offers even more freedom but more interference.
It allows you to make new paragraphs and punctuate as long as you give it the command. It is certainly extremely freeing to someone like this blogger, who thinks on her feet. Dictating for me is a comfortable way to handle the writing. For people who are not used to dictating, however, it can seem difficult. Many business executives have past experience in dictating to clerical staff and this kind of a program will come very naturally to them. I see it as a big boost for business since it replaces the need for a clerk or the need for an executive to be computer typing when he/she could be doing more important business.
For those who don't dictate and for whom it is not a natural ability, it's not difficult to learn to do. And there's lots of leeway in the program for errors or to delete whatever you said in the last sentence, paragraph, page, or whole document. You can use it for writing e-mails as well as letters in your composing programs and any other task that requires you to type into the computer. You can use it to search on the Web for the various interests you may have. To this blogger it's a program that should have been invented along with the computer but hindsight is always easier than foresight. And I might add it's easier to make an invention verbally than it is to supply one in the real world.
The computer opens the world to to anyone who is willing to expend some effort on learning new skills. This software broadens that field immensely since one only needs to learn to talk to the computer and it will do the manual labor. Another great feature of using the program is that you can still use the computer keyboard if you wish to delete, make corrections, or insert something you forgot. You can also use the program to do this and it works very well. Since I am just in the early stages of learning all the techniques that are possible, I am amazed by just how much I can accomplish without frustration or having to refer to manuals.
As we all know one of the great drawbacks of many of the more complex software programs in photography and writing as well as accounting etc. etc. are so loaded down with instructions (poor ones at that) that frustration is included when you name the program. This blogger often names programs used to write novels as FRUSTRATION SOFTWARE provided by companies that make their money PROVIDING CLASSES that COST A FORTUNE to take or are in places to which ONE MUST TRAVEL. These companies also are delighted to supply instruction on their programs on the Net for a fee. In short, they make their money teaching you how to use a program, they could have made simpler and easier to use.
Your printer's ink that is more expensive than wine, has hidden the B&W facility for typing with only B&W ink under several layers of menus so that the printer can combine color inks with black and white and the manufacturer can claim it's because it's a richer color. Do you think your correspondent will appreciate the richness??????? YOU'LL BE OUT THE RICHES!!!!!!!!!THE ABILITY TO USE BLACK INK ONLY is hidden so that you have to buy a lot more color ink that costs more. You're buying unnecessary color ink. COMPLAIN!!
As my father-in-law used to say, "IT'S a RACKET".
In other words they build the program so that it's not user-friendly and they make a lot of money on classes of all kinds, instruction books of all kinds, and bank on (literally BANK THE PROFITS) on the FRUSTRATION that their convoluted, unintelligible free instructions cause. It's designed that way folks for reason and the reason is PROFIT.
Now as you know, this blogger is highly in favor of companies making a profit. That profit helps them grow, employs people, and generally makes America better. But there is such a thing as playing the public for SUCKERS. And unfortunately in technology, making SUCKERS OUT OF USERS!!!!! is very profitable! The companies don't have to do their best work to provide a product that is effective. How do they get away with this????? Well, it's a matter of business using business. Companies who need these programs are willing to pay to send their employees wherever, whenever they need to go to learn to use them. Why would they waste profits on something that could be rectified by the original software maker????? Our lovely big government again is the silent partner question!!!!! HOW????? EASY!!!!! TAXES. The costs for these kinds of instructions and travel expenses are highly deductible so it's profitable for both sides. Companies always require deductions to lower their tax rates.
But what about we POOR FOOLS????? Well, so to speak, WE GET THE SHAFT!!!!!!! So although I approve of profit by companies that create a good economy, I also deplore companies that simply take advantage of the profit motive to make a product that is less than excellent. Unfortunately, we see a lot of that anymore. Basically, because as consumers we don't make the demands we need to make about technical products. That's probably because we feel we are the ones who lack the skills.
We could take a page out of French history on food. I'm sure all Frenchmen are not great cooks, although there are a lot of them, but they know the difference between a poorly cooked meal and a good one. And when they get a poorly cooked one, they're not polite about it, they don't question their experience in the kitchen, they COMPLAIN!!!!! And that's the way it should be. We shouldn't have to know how to write the programs to know that they should be USER FRIENDLY!!!!! User-friendly is being set up simply and easily for common use without the need of paid instruction or complicated instructional matter.
The same problem exists now in many browser programs including the one that I am using. The browser programs are beginning to use SECURITY as an excuse to be invasive, controlling, and confusing. This blogger is alerting you that these trends in technology will proliferate to many more programs and as users, we need to do our share of complaining to responsibly keep technology available for everyone. No, I don't mean to add to your problems but frankly, AMERICANS could STAND TO LEARN TO COMPLAIN vociferously as an ART like our friends THE FRENCH.
Another area of concern is the endemic solution some software companies are using to avoid CUSTOMER INTERACTION. Do you know of any other place where you buy a product and you cannot get in touch with anyone personally to discuss the problems you're having or get reasonably easy service for the product?????? There may be a few companies out there like that but this blogger bets there are not too many. However, if you don't start complaining to browser companies, software companies and other technological companies about their attitude of "HOLIER THAN THOU", you're going to find it's a spreading disease and will infect all your transactions with utilities, banks, (who are starting to show some of that trend) grocery stores, and all other places you may shop. In other words, friends, either you stand up and be heard or YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN!!!!!
Be sure if you do start to stand up for your rights, that you let them know that you are doing it to improve their product so that they do not turn around and use the complaints as an excuse to further distance themselves from their consumer. After all you know WE keep them in business. WE are their most important asset. Without US, there is no product, there is no company, and there is no profit. Remember that the next time technology frustrates you. You don't have to put up with it. It's not your fault, no matter how the company tries to convince you that it is. It is up to them to produce a product that is easy and workable to use.
IF THEY CAN'T DO that then they deserve to find another way to make a living.
GOOD LUCK ON LEARNING TO COMPLAIN TO IMPROVE OUR WORLD!!!!! WRITE LETTERS or emails TO THE MAJOR COMPUTER COMPANIES ABOUT THEIR SOFTWARE COMPANIES AND SUGGEST IMPROVEMENTS THAT SHOULD BE MADE. A POSITIVE APPROACH TO "IMPROVE THE COMPUTER FOOD"!!!!!!!!!
The majority of this post was done by speech and is programmed type-- AND THAT IS THANKS TO THE COMPLAINTS OF THE EARLY USERS OF the original speaking program. SO IT DOES HELP!!!!!!!
Cheers, Connie
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